National Societies of Black and Hispanic Physicists host inaugural student leadership development summit
Ashley Collier, Corporate Communications Manager, Optica
Innovators in physics and engineering converged in Washington D.C. at Optica's headquarters to cultivate the next generation of leaders in science and research communities. Laser physicist Elaine Lalanne took time for her schedule at Fibertek to participate in a panel discussion on navigating predominately white professional spaces and effective leadership practices. Science communicator Jessica Harris talked to attendees about building community on social media and worked with them on skills for pitching ideas. Shaniya Jarrett, a Master’s student at Fisk University and Vanderbilt said “Being able to share ideas for future collaborations in a room full of black physicist was an incredibly unique and special experience that I would not have anywhere else.”
The National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) hosted its inaugural Student Leadership Development Summit with the National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP) at its new headquarters on 17-18 March. Nearly 50 early career researchers and scientists attended the two-day summit exploring topics on grant writing, project management, leadership practices and effective communication skills.
"NSBP and NSHP student leaders got an opportunity to attend training workshops that they could not learn in a lab," said Stephen Roberson, NSBP President-Elect. “They were introduced to a larger professional community that is truly invested in their long-term success. They will be a catalyst for tomorrow's STEM workforce.”
Farrah Simpson, a Ph.D. student at Brown University, studies high-energy experimental physics and analyzes data from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN found the event insightful and inspiring. "There were so many great workshops at the summit. The speakers were incredibly accomplished individuals who engaged with students in such a personal yet professional manner." Simpson has been a member of NSBP for five years and finds the organization life-changing. "I've learned so much from others who have been through similar PhD programs and have accomplished what I one day hope to accomplish. NSBP has helped in my academic and professional growth through mentorship and events like the conference and the Student Leadership Development Summit."
Tracy Edwards, a third-year Ph.D. student studying nuclear physics and radiochemistry at Michigan State University, was also in attendance. Edwards has been a member of NSBP since 2014, and found the event inspiring. "My favorite workshop without a doubt was "Building your brand and self-evaluation as a leader" given by Dr. Renee Horton, Space Launch Systems Quality Engineer at NASA. Beyond her captivating speech and ability to exude a compelling presence, Dr. Horton's session gave direction and meaning to making decisions that will benefit our careers in the future. A lot of the information we learned during the summit applied to right now, but she pushed us to think beyond tomorrow and the next five years. What do we want our professional legacy to be? Who are the people we keep around us? And what are we willing to sacrifice to have the life that we want? All questions I have personally asked myself before. But this time, I had the langue and words to answer."
"It is essential that events like this develop the next generation of researchers and scientists," said Joshua Burrow, past NSBP executive member, Optica Ambassador and co-founder of the Student Leadership Development Summit.
